Manipulation
by Yazzy
Summary: A take on Tala's birth and his parents, how he ended up in the abbey, and the early time he spent there.
1. Chapter 1

Well...this is my version (or one of them) of Tala's backstory, and how he ended up at the abbey.

* * *

"Come on, dear...come on, one last push..." Anya Ivanov let out a shriek, which was soon joined by the cries of her baby. The midwife gasped, meddled for a minute or two, then laid the baby on Anya's chest. "It's a boy, dear. Isn't he handsome?" Anya was forced to agree. Her newborn son was a chubby little cherub, with a fluff of red hair atop his head. He was kicking and screaming something terrible, then suddenly he stopped, looking up at her enquiringly. Anya gasped, seeing his little sapphire-blue gaze. She was sure that his eyes wouldn't change colour, not with hair that shade of red...he was so like his father...

"Hello..." She whispered tentatively. The infant looked away, sticking a thumb in his mouth and simply laying there. "What shall I call you, my little darling?"

"Did his father- may he rest in peace- have anything particular he wanted the baby called?" Anya shook her head, eyes full of tears, both at the memory of her late husband and the beauty of the child he'd left behind. With a disgruntled wail, the baby started screaming again, until Anya cradled him in her arms.

"Oh, my baby...whatever shall we name you?"

"Wa. Wawa!" He wailed. Anya laughed softly.

"Wawa? That's a strange name. Although...it sounds like my Father's name...Tala. What do you think, little one? Are you a Tala? A little baby Tala?" The baby fell silent again, sucking his thumb. Anya leaned down and kissed his little forehead, making him blink most confusedly. "Tala. How's my baby Tala?" The midwife watched, smiling.

"Try feeding him."

Carefully, Anya levered Tala until he was lying against her chest. Almost fiercely, his tiny lips fastened around a nipple and he started to drink. As he did, Anya stroked his back gently, closing her eyes for a second. When she opened them, her heart swelled with pride, seeing her beautiful little son once more. "Your father would be so happy..." She looked around the scrubbed but shabby doctor's surgery and sighed. After Yakov had died she'd had no money, and this was the only place near enough that didn't charge when she'd gone into labour. Somehow it didn't seem to deserve a person as brilliant as Tala.

The midwife cleared her throat and Anya looked up. A tall figure was standing in the doorway. It moved forwards, and Anya gasped. "Luka..." Yakov's father...

"Anya. I'm so glad I managed to track you down..." He looked tired, and Anya felt suddenly guilty. She hadn't thought to contact any of Yakov's family. They had never approved of her... "Is is a boy or a girl?"

"A boy...I...I called him Tala..."

Then she suddenly realised that there was nothing covering her top half and blushed. As if sensing why, Luka shook his head. "Don't be embarrassed. You've a child to nurse." He came forwards and looked down at Tala, smiling. "So this is my grandson?" Tala looked up at him with wide eyes, then started to cry. Anya, rocked him gently, for a second forgetting there was anyone else in the room at all. "I have a proposition for you, Anya."

"What?" She asked, puzzled.

"When the child is off breast milk, let him come and live with me." Anya stared.

"...And leave me?"

"Yes. It's for the best. What can you give him if he stays with you? If he came to me, I would give him the best education money can buy, the best of -everything-."

"Without me?" Anya asked in a small voice, already feeling as if it was probably the right thing to do. After all, she had no job...no money...

"Anya...the family wouldn't approve of you coming to live with us. But Yakov's child...is different. Don't be selfish. Give your son this opportunity. Feed him until the time comes, and then we'll take him." Anya looked down at Tala, who had fallen asleep. He was like a little angel...he deserved everything in the world...she knew he did...

"But...he could come and see me...when he's older...couldn't he?"

"Of course, of course. When he's old enough to know." Anya bit her lip, looking down at Tala again. He gave a little sigh and shifted, snuggling into her chest.

"Luka...I..." She started to cry, feeling helpless. Yakov's family were rich, they could give Tala anything he wanted...and that was what he deserved... "I...I think it would be best...but...please...when you take him...look after him..." She bowed her head. "Please..."

* * *

_MISSING_

_Tala Ivanov, eight, disappeared from his Grandfather's house in Moscow last week after an argument. There will be a cash reward for any infomation of his whereabouts. He is of average height for his age, thinly built, with red hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a blue shirt and black trousers, with a black coat and a brown teddy bear._

_MISSING_

Tala looked down at the paper that had been trodden into the slush and glared. After an argument. After he'd found out about his Grandfather exploiting his mother! Telling her he needed private school and money to make him happy! And then saying he couldn't go and see her! Hugging his bear to his chest tighter, he carried on walking, until he bumped into a large man. "Sorry..." He went to walk on.

"Are you Tala Ivanov?" Tala turned, suddenly frightened. "Don't be scared. I'm Boris. I run a school for young men like you. Do you want to make sure your Grandfather won't find you?" Tala looked up at this man, then nodded.

"If you come with me, I can enrol you in our school. It's a school for beyblading." Tala's eyes lit up. He'd always wanted to beyblade, but his Grandfather hadn't approved. That was what had made his father marry below his station, he'd said. "Would you like to come with me?" Tala looked up at the man critically. He was smiling kindly, and he looked trustworthy.

"Okay."

"Right. But...who's this?" Boris laughed and touched the bear half inside Tala's coat.

"He's Henryk."

"Then we'll have to enrol him as well!" Tala giggled and let the man lead him away down the street.

I know I made Tala intelligent for an eight-year-old, but if he's been in private schooling since he was five and with his Grandfather's family around him all the time, he'd be well above the rest of the people his age in the intelligence stakes. But being raised in his Grandfather's household, I don't imagine he would be very worldly-wise. Or at least un-wise enough to go with Boris...anyway, R&R please!


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry this update is so late! I was going to post it yesterday, but I got some psychology I needed to do and then I was going to post it this morning but I woke up late and needed to be in college. Add that to the fact that my brother only just got back from Austria and needed about five hours to check all his emails, I've only just gotten the computer! This is a short chapter, but I'm finding that this is easier to write in smaller parts...

Anyway, here it is!

* * *

"Boris? Where are we going?"

Tala looked out of the window of the car curiously, letting Henryk look as well. Boris continued driving. "Boris?"

"Yes?"

"Where are we going?"

"To my school."

"How far is it from here?"

With a small smile, Boris stopped the car. "We're here." Tala looked out of the window again and saw a low building with a dome-like centre. "We call it the Abbey."

"Isn't that where monks live?" Tala asked inquisitively. Boris shrugged, opening the door.

"There are no monks here. Just beybladers."

"Will you really teach me to beyblade?" Tala gushed, wrestling with the door until it opened, spilling him onto the icy ground. Boris picked him up and set him back on his feet. "Yes, Tala. This is a school for beybladers after all. Come on in, you can meet some of the older boys." Tala reached for Boris' hand, but the older man wasn't looking. Tala gave Henryk both of his hands and followed Boris as he approached the heavy steel doors of the Abbey. They slid open, and Boris turned. "Welcome to your new home, Tala. Your Grandfather will never find you here."

Tala grinned. "Do you promise?"

"I...promise. Come inside..." Tala jogged to keep up with Boris' large strides and the doors closed behind them. It was light inside, with bright strip-lights above their heads. The corridor they were in opened out into a large hall, with doors leading off it in all directions. Boris took them left, along a few more corridors, and into another large room. Tala gasped as he entered. There were boys there! Beyblading! Forgetting Boris he ran over to watch, crawling through the legs of a towering boy and gazing enraptured at the dish, where two beyblades were slamming against each other. He let Henryk watch as well, then felt his bear being ripped out of his grasp. He turned and looked up, pleading.

"Can I have Henryk back please?"

"You what, kid?" Tala pointed.

"Can I have Henryk back please? I want to show him the beyblades!" The boy holding Henryk started to laugh, when another, much bigger boy with dark hair hit him around the head, snatching the bear back.

"He's just a kid. Leave him alone Fedya!" He crouched down, bringing himself to about Tala's level, and sat Henryk on his shoulder. "So you like beyblading, kid?"

"I want to learn! Boris said he'd teach me how to do it!"

"What's your name?"

"Tala. Tala Ivanov. And he's Henryk Ivanov." The older boy offered his hand to Tala solemnly.

"I'm Adrik Taziev." Tala shook Adrick's hand and smiled. "So you like beyblading?" Tala nodded.

"But Grandfather wouldn't let me. He said it was common." He pulled a face. "I don't like him. I ran away." Adrik smiled.

"You ran away? How old are you?"

"Eight. But I'm nine soon."

"Oh? When's your birthday?"

"November." Adrik shook his head, smiling. Seeing as it was only February, Tala's birthday wasn't exactly close, but he humoured him.

"That's nice."

"How old are you?"

"Me? I'm sixteen. I'm twice your age exactly."

"...Do I have to call you sir, then?" Asked Tala, his eyes still on the beyblades. Adrik looked at him in puzzlement.

"Sir? Why would you call me that?"

"Grandfather said if they're more than five years older than you you have to call them sir. Or madam, if it's a girl."

Adrik was about to reply when one of the beyblades suddenly came flying towards them. He went to get Tala out of the way of it, but the little redhead caught it, looking at it carefully. He traced his finger over the top, smiling. "My father used to make beyblades...he made really good ones..."

"He could never have made one as good as that." Said a haughty voice from somewhere above him.

"Why? Did you know him?" Asked Tala eagerly. The green eyes above him narrowed.

"-No-. Now give me back my beyblade." Adrik stood up, folding his arms.

"Quit picking on the kid, Gaver. And where are your manners? Did your mother never teach you to say please?" Gaver glared, then looked down at Tala again.

"Give me my beyblade. -Please-." Tala held it up and Gaver snatched it away. The little redhead looked down at his hands where the beyblade had been. And he knew that he wanted one of his own.

* * *

Well, R&R please! 


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry this update's been so long coming as well, but apart from being hit with writer's block, my gran's been in hospital this weekend so I haven't really had the time to write nor really been in the right frame of mind.

* * *

Adrik woke up late that night, hearing someone crying. Sighing, he got out of bed and followed the noise to the next room along. Tala's room. He opened the door and found the little redhead sitting on his bed, hugging Henryk tightly and crying into the bear's stomach. "Tala?" He looked up, and Adrik sighed. His nose was all snotty and his eyes were red. "What's the matter?" Tala sniffed.

"Don't know." Adrik went over to him and lifted him into his arms, letting Tala rest his head on his shoulder.

"Was someone mean to you?"

"No..." Adrik knew from experience that Tala was lying through his teeth.

"What was his name?"

"Don't know."

"What did he look like then?" Tala burrowed his face into Adrik's shoulder. "What did he say?"

"Said I was a stupid little kid. Said my hair was stupid." Tala sniffled. "He was going to stamp on Henryk so I bit him and ran away."

Adrik held Tala closer and stroked his hair until he stopped sniffling, then sat him back on his bed. "You're not stupid if you managed to get away from your Grandfather. And I like your hair. There's no-one with red hair here. Well, apart from you. Now get into bed and don't worry about it. I'll look after you. Come to me if they tease you again." Looking much more happy, Tala snuggled into his blankets, letting Adrik tuck him in and kiss his forehead.

* * *

"Adrik?" Tala appeared beside his mentor and surrogate parent a week later, grinning. "Boris taught me how to launch a beyblade!" The older boy smiled and ruffled Tala's hair, pausing in reading his book.

"Good for you!"

Tala jumped up onto Adrik's bed, where he'd become used to sitting during the past week. He'd come to view Adrik as the father he'd never really had, and Adrik was only too willing to fulfil that role. Under his wing, Tala had nothing to fear from the older boys, and Boris was finally teaching him to beyblade. He was happy, happier than his private primary school had made him. "What are you reading?"

"War and Peace."

"Is it good?"

"I don't know, I'm not very far into it yet."

"My Grandfather liked books. But he said only rich people appreciated them properly. That was why he didn't like my mother. She wasn't rich. So he made her give me to him and he wouldn't let me see her. That was when I ran away. I want to meet my mother. Do you have a mother?"

Adrik sighed. "I did, once. A mother, a father, two younger sisters and a younger brother. But there was a fire in my house, and they all died. I don't have any family any more." Tala shifted closer and leaned against his friend.

"I'll be your family. And if I ever find my mother you can share her."

"I'd like that."

"Henryk can be your family as well. I put him under my pillow so Fedya and Gaver can't find him." Adrik nodded, then pulled Tala onto his lap, tickling him playfully. The little redhead squealed and giggled until Adrik finally let him go, panting and still laughing. A second later the door opened, revealing the blonde, snooty Fedya, who eyed them both and sneered. "I never thought you were the type to go for paedophilia, Adrik." Tala blinked. What did that mean? It was obviously horrible, seeing as Adrik went pale, standing up.

"How dare you say such a thing, Fedya?" The blonde shrugged, and Adrik shot over, grabbing him and pinning him up against the wall. "If there's anyone around here who is one, you know who it is. And it isn't me. Stop saying things like that around Tala."

"He doesn't understand anyway."

"Good! He should never have to!"

"Why not? I did! You do!"

"That's not how it works and you know it!"

Tala sat and watched as the two older boys stared each other out, then was surprised to see Fedya burst into tears. Adrik hugged him tightly, whispering to him. Bored by not being able to understand, Tala opened Adrik's book and started to read it. When the dark-haired boy came back to him a few minutes later, Tala had fallen asleep, curled up with the book resting under his head. Adrik smiled fondly and picked Tala up, carrying him back to his own room and tucking him into his bed.

No matter what had happened to him, to Fedya...no matter how many times he'd been beaten until he collapsed, burnt with cigarettes and screamed at...he would protect Tala as much as he could. Because that wasn't the right way to bring people up. It wasn't right to bring them up in fear. "Sleep tight, Tala." He walked to the door and flicked the light off, leaving the room.

* * *

R&R please! 


	4. Chapter 4

I'm so sorry these updates are taking so long, and the bad news is that the length between them will probably stay the same. My Gran is in hospital right now, so between visiting on an evening and college (+homework) I've been having less and less time to write, and even when I have had time I haven't really been able to think of any ideas. Sorry. I daresay I'll sort myself out soon enough, but you'll have to bear with me till then...

* * *

The first inkling Tala had that something about the Abbey wasn't quite right came about three weeks after he joined. He'd just left Boris' rooms after another lesson in beyblading, when he heard someone whispering round the corner. "Adrik..." 

"No. Don't say anything. Just because you found out doesn't mean anything will change."

"But...Adrik..."

"Don't say any more. To anyone. No-one else needs to know." Tala peeped around the corner, and got a view of Adrik's back.

"Adrik...doesn't it hurt?"

"Yes."

"Then why-"

"Why do I let it happen? Because if I didn't, it would happen to someone else."

"But-"

"I'm not going to talk about it any more."

Tala scuttled away as he heard Adrik turn and start walking. He wasn't quite sure what had happened...and he knew it was the height of bad manners to eavesdrop...but Adrik had sounded...as if he was, for some reason, sad.

* * *

"Adrik?" 

"Mm? What, Tala?"

"Are you sad?"

"No more than usual. Why?" Tala hesitated, wondering whether or not to say what he'd heard earlier. But that would make Adrik angry, wouldn't it? He'd been naughty, listening, and he didn't want to upset Adrik... He shrugged instead, and looked down at the list of English words he was supposed to be memorising. "You look sad."

"I always look like that when I'm concentrating!" Adrik laughed, but it sounded different to his normal laugh...it sounded higher, and in some way not right. There was a short silence, then Tala giggled. "Why do I need to learn how to say trombone in English?"

"Maybe you'll meet a famous trombone player someday."

"In England?"

"In anywhere. Maybe an English tombone player will come to Russia."

"But they wouldn't come -here-. No-one ever comes here."

Tala was soon to find that he was wrong.

* * *

Late that night, Tala was woken up by someone coming into his room. "Put the child in here, there's a spare bed." 

"Yes Mr. Balkov..." Peeping over his blanket, Tala watched as a small body was carried into the room. Biting his tongue as his books were swept off the spare bed, he saw the body being put onto it. It was a boy. He was pale, paler than Tala and Adrik, with strange, purple-grey hair. Tala decided that whoever this was, they would be nice. Wrong again...

* * *

"Hey!" 

"Hmm?" Tala blinked and opened his eyes. "Adrik?"

"No." Replied a scornful voice. "Get up!" This comment was accompanied by a sharp prod to the back of Tala's head. He turned, and found the boy from last night standing there, glaring. "Who are you?"

"Tala. Who are you?"

"-I'm- Bryan Kuznetsov. And your hair's stupid!"

"No it isn't!" Tala protested. "Adrik said it's nice!"

The door swung open. "Tala, what- Oh...you must be the new kid." Bryan sneered at him. "Don't look at me like that, or I'll forget to tell you where to go for breakfast." While Bryan stood there still glaring, Tala got dressed quickly, sidling up and standing beside Adrik. "Are you coming, or not?" With a final dirty look, Bryan walked closer, letting Adrik and Tala take him to the breakfast room. Once there, he suddenly seemed small and frightened, especially when Fedya and Gaver laughed and pointed at him.

Adrik folded his arms, and they stopped. Tala tried to smile at Bryan, but was met with the back of the other boy's head. Oh...Boris was there. After the first couple of weeks, Tala had become rather bored of Boris. He was slowly being palmed off onto other teachers, a few of the engineers, Adrik, and sometimes just left to his own devices. Apparently Bryan was still very interested in him. He watched Boris from one side of the room to the other, then back again, hiding behind Adrik's legs. "Do you know Boris?" Tala asked, knowing the answer already.

"Yes. He found me living with Mama in a brothel and brought me here for training."

"He's boring."

"No he isn't!" Bryan snapped. "He's nice!" Tala shrugged.

"Are you learning to beyblade?"

"Yes."

"Me too! We can practise together!"

Just then, one of the older boys came up behind them and tugged Bryan's long hair sharply. He cried out in pain, so Tala took it upon himself to bite the hand that pulled, rather viciously. Adrik turned to fina Tala with his teeth sunk into someone's hand and sighed. "Tala, don't do that." Tala let go of the hand and spat out a mouthful of blood and spit.

"He was being horrible!" Adrik fixed the older boy, who was cradling his hand and wincing, with a long stare.

"Edik..."

"I'm sorry Adrik..."

Edik slunk away, while Tala stared after him. That voice...Edik's voice...had been the voice in the corridor. What did Edik know that he didn't? "Tala?" Tala turned, and saw a tiny smile on Bryan's face. "Thank you."

* * *

R&R please (God knows I need -some- kind of inspiration at the minute 0.0). 


	5. Chapter 5

Sorry these updates are getting so slow but my ideas are running kind of dry at the minute because I have a stupid cold...

* * *

Tala was awoken two nights after Bryan had arrived in the abbey by a scream. He thought at first it was Bryan, so he got up and went over to find the other boy still asleep. Another scream sounded from outside and he went to investigate, opening the door of his bedroom and padding off along the corridor, his socks making no noise on the tiled floor. He peeped round the corner and felt his mouth drop open. Gaver was pinned up against the wall, his hair askew, and-

"Boris, please!"

"Boris!" Another voice. Adrik appeared, looking furious. "We had a deal, Boris. Leave him alone." Like some kind of hunting animal, Boris flung Gaver aside and grabbed Adrik, crushing him against the wall and smashing their lips together. "Adrik! NO!" Screeched Gaver, standing and trying to pull Boris away. Tala crept further around the corner, heart thudding in his chest.

"Adrik!" Gaver grabbed Boris' arm and tried to yank him away, but the older Russian just flung him to the floor, snarling.

"Go back to bed."

"NO!" Tala watched Gaver burst into tears. "Adrik...why?" Adrik looked away, hanging his head.

"If I didn't...someone else would have to."

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Because you aren't allowed to know, you little bastard. And now, you know too much!" Boris yelled. A shot sounded, echoing around the corridor. Tala made his hand into a fist and bit it hard to stop himself from screaming. Gaver was thrown back against the wall, gasping and choking. Adrik slipped himself out of Boris' arms and knelt down beside him, grasping his hand. "A-Adrik..."

"Shh, don't talk now. You're getting out of here now, you don't have to worry." Gaver choked in another breath, jerking. "You're going to heaven, Gaver, where all the angels live and you'll be happy for the rest of time. You'll be able to see your sisters again." Gaver made a gargling noise and Adrik bit his lip firecely, drawing blood. "You're going to heaven, Gaver. You're going to be happy. You're going to-" Gaver jerked once more and lay still. "You're going to heaven..."

As Adrik knelt next to Gaver, Boris grabbed him by the shoulders, hauling him upright. "Come on then."

"Boris...how can you be so cold?"

"Just get up, you whore." Adrik stayed where he was for a second, then kissed Gaver's forehead before getting up and glaring at Boris.

They walked away, still not noticing the redhead peering round the corner at them. Tala ran back to his room, then on a whim clambered into Bryan's bed, cuddling up with him and starting to cry.

* * *

"Tala?"

"Nnnh."

"Tala, you're in the wrong bed. Tala!" Tala opened his eyes and found Bryan lying next to him, looking heartily puzzled. "Are you sick or something?"

"No..." Bryan giggled.

"Then get out of my bed or you'll be a -gay-." Tala blinked.

"What's a gay?"

"It's a boy who kisses other boys and goes to bed with them!" Bryan said, with a tone of horror in his voice. Tala cocked his head to one side, thinking. Then he laughed, leaning over and kissing Bryan's cheek. "Now we're both gays!" He giggled. Bryan squealed and pushed him away, but Tala rolled on top of him and pinned him down, sticking out his tongue. "Beat you." Bryan wriggled and glared, then blew out his breath all in a rush.

"I don't want to be a gay, Tala. Mama didn't like them."

"Well..." Said Tala, wanting to show off even thought he didn't really understand what gay meant. "I do."

"But Tala..."

"She wouldn't mind, I'm your friend!"

Just then the door clicked and Adrik walked in, yawning. "Morning Tala." The young redhead found himself at a loss for what to say, and then it struck him. Adrik had kissed Boris. That meant that Adrik was a gay! "Adrik..."

"Mm?"

"Are you a gay?" Adrik stopped mid yawn, looking flustered.

"Where did you hear that word?"

"Bryan." Tala realised that he was still holding Bryan down and let go of him.

"Do you know what it means?"

"When boys kiss each other." Tala replied loftily, bouncing on the bed. Adrik sighed.

"That's one way of putting it I suppose. But being gay is when two men are together like a mother and father, only not."

"So I'm not a gay if Tala kisses me?" Asked Bryan fearfully. Adrik laughed softly.

"No." After much consideration, Tala decided to ask what had been gnawing at his mind since the previous night.

"Is Boris a gay?"

"...Yes."

Adrik watched Tala's expression grow anxious and felt his own nerves tug with worry as well. Surely Tala couldn't know...could he? He was just curious about a new word...wasn't he? Doubtfully, he waited as the two younger boys dressed then led them down to breakfast.

* * *

R&R please! 


	6. Chapter 6

A THOUSAND TIMES SORRY! I have the most horrible case of writer's block at the moment, so my updates are getting slower and crappier... I'll try and get this story finished but it might take me a while...

* * *

Tala watched Adrik all of the next day, trying not to listen to the whispers about Gaver that were circling. Some people said he'd run away, others said he was hiding somewhere in the abbey, but Tala knew. And Adrik knew. And Adrik had him for a lesson at five, so when the evening rolled around, Tala went to the training rooms, steeling his nerves.

"Adrik..."

"Hey Tala. I thought today we could-"

"Adrik...why did Boris do that to Gaver?" Adrik went pale.

"Tala...you...you couldn't have seen..."

"And why were you letting Boris do -that- to you?" Adrik looked absolutely mortified.

"Tala..." The older Russian leaned against the wall as if needing support, running a hand over his face and sighing. "I can't explain it to you now Tala, but I have to let Boris do that."

"Why?" Demanded Tala, needing to know why Adrik had -let- such a thing happen to him.

"Because if I didn't let him do it to me...he'd do it to someone else. I'm the oldest here, it's my responsibility...and I don't want to see any of you getting hurt."

"Are you gay with him?" Tala whispered, hurt. Adrik looked away, eyes fixed on the floor.

"Yes." He said eventually. "Tala...don't tell anyone. No-one else needs to know." Tala opened his mouth and shut it again. This was surely wrong...

"Adrik..."

"Now, as I was saying, I thought tonight we could try a different kind of lau-"

"ADRIK!" Tala yelled, suddenly angry.

"Tala...I..." Tala ran over and fastened his arms around Adrik's waist, butting his head against the older boy's stomach.

"You shouldn't let him."

"I have to, Tala."

"You shouldn't." Adrik was silent for a long time, then laid a hand on Tala's head.

"I know."

* * *

After that, Tala watched Adrik more closely, becoming more and more worried even as his friendship with Bryan blossomed. Over the next few weeks, a few more new people came to the abbey, most notably a pair of friends Boris had found on the streets. They were called Ian and Spencer, and they too were infatuated with Boris. Tala often pitied them, because they didn't -know-.

"How was your lesson today?" Bryan asked thoughtfully. They were both in Tala's room on the bed, but Tala wasn't really listening. He was still worried about Adrik. And then...from next door...someone speaking...someone older...

"Shh, shut up a second!" Tala hissed. Everyone else fell quiet and Tala pressed his ear to the wall.

"Boris...I'm not coming tonight."

"What do you mean, you're not coming?"

"I...I don't want to see you tonight."

"Then do I take one of your little friends? What about your little favourite, Tala? Would you prefer me to take him?"

"Boris...it's not right. You should be getting a girlfriend and settling down, not forcing yourself onto people younger and weaker than you!" Adrik's voice rose. Boris laughed sneeringly.

"You're shaking, Adrik."

"Get off me!" Tala shot to his feet and ran outside, followed by Bryan. He smashed open Adrik's door and tumbled inside, running at Boris and sinking his teeth into the older man's leg. Boris yelled with pain and let go the grip he had on Adrik's waist, kicking out at Tala. The redhead landed against the wall, crying with pain. "BORIS!"

Everything after happened in a blur. Adrik leapt at Boris, wrestled him to the floor and hit him in the face, seething. "YOU SICK FREAK! HE'S A CHILD! THEY'RE ALL CHILDREN!" Boris howled with pain and wrenched Adrik off himself, thowing him against the chest of drawers. There was a sickening crack and Tala screamed. Adrik was sinking to the floor, a chunk ripped out of his forehead by the sharp metal. Panting, Boris picked Adrik up and smashed him off the drawers again, growling. "I'll teach you to hit me you little whore!" Again and again Adrik's limp form was crashed against the metal. It made Tala feel sick. He screamed again and grabbed Boris' leg, pulling him off balance as Bryan suddenly leapt out of nowhere and scratched the older man's arm. Faced by two attacks Boris had to leave Adrik alone to fling the other two away, which he did, fiercely.

"How dare you disobey me?" He asked, growling. "Get back to your room and expect to be punished!"

But Tala wasn't listening. "Adrik..." He crawled over and shook Adrik gently. "Adrik...say something...please..."

"Uhh..."

"Adrik!" Tala stroked Adrik's hair. "Adrik, are you okay?" Adrik laid there unmoving, and Tala shook him again. "Adrik! Adrik!" Nothing. Boris watched as Tala rolled Adrik over on to his back. The young boy's face was a mass of blood, from the cut on his head and the cuts on his cheeks. Blood was trickling out from under his hair and out of his mouth, dripping down onto the floor. Tala looked at him for a few seconds and then it all sank in. He screamed, long and loud, only stopping when Boris clamped a hand over his mouth.

"I told you to go back to bed, Ivanov. And take your little friend with you. Only he might want to wash himself first because he -wet- himself." Knowing he was powerless to do anything, Tala stood up, small fists clenched.

"I hate you, Boris!" Boris just laughed.

"I'm sure you do."

After bending down and kissing Adrik goodbye, Tala ran out of the room, feeling scared, confused, weak and sick all at the same time. Bryan followed him, then struggled with the shower in their shared bathroom. Tala sat and watched him, hollow. Adrik had always helped them with the shower. Adrik...

"Adrik..."

Tala threw himself down on the bed and cried.

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R&R please... 


	7. Chapter 7

I am so, so sorry. But my ideas for this fic have just completely tapered out, so this is the LAST chapter. Happy reading!

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The next morning, Tala tried to convince himself that what had happened to Adrik had been some kind of horrible dream. It was only when he realised that Bryan was snuggled up beside him, tears dried onto his face, that it really sank in. He struggled up out of bed and ran next door, pushing his way into Adrik's room and looking around. It was spotless. There was nothing there...nothing but the bed, the shower and the toilet...

"What are you doing in here, Ivanov?" Tala turned and found Boris behind him, and suddenly remembered what the older Russian had said the night before...

_'Then do I take one of your little friends? What about your little favourite, Tala? Would you prefer me to take him?'_

"You leave me alone!"

"Oh, what's the matter?"

"I won't let you do what you did to Adrik to me!" Boris looked slightly surprised, then smiled.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you not to listen in on private conversations?" Tala gasped. Boris knew he'd never met his mother, he knew! "And besides, you don't interest me now. You're too little. You'd be no fun. But when you get a little older...thirteen, fourteen, say...you'll be just nice. Just ready to be educated in the ways of-"

"No!" Tala felt his eyes fill with tears. "You shouldn't! Why don't you find a wife? Have children of your own? People as old as you are always married!"

"And you were brought up as a posh little snob. I bet all your upper-class friends were married by my age, but I'm not, and the next time you tell me to find a wife...I'm going to beat you until you can't say it any more." Tala shook, backing away.

"Adrik was right!" He cried, voice shrill with fear. Boris advanced on him, glowering. "You shouldn't pick on us!"

"Tala?" Bryan was standing in the doorway, looking nervous.

"Both of you go back to bed!" Boris snapped. He leaned down to Tala's level, making the young redhead shy away, backing against the wall. "Don't think you would be able to stop me if I wanted you now." His hand grasped Tala's arm, dragging him out of the room. "Breakfast is still at seven. You'll have to make it down by yourselves from now on." And with that he strode away. Tala burst into tears and ran back into their bedroom, letting Bryan follow him, climbing up onto his bed and hugging him.

"My mama always said that if people cry you should give them hugs and kisses to make them better..." He kissed Tala's cheek and looked down at him carefully. "Do you feel better?"

"No! I want Adrik!"

"I do too. He stopped them all from teasing me..."

"It's not fair!"

"No. I thought Boris was nice..." Bryan shuddered. "He's scary. Like that man that killed Mama's friend...she was all covered in blood and they said she was raped...and I think that means when someone is gay with you and you don't want them to be...but Mama wouldn't say, so I don't really know..." He hesitated. "Mama saw lots of bad men. They always made me scared..." Bryan shut his eyes and leaned against Tala companiably. "There was a man with a gun once. He said he was going to shoot Mama. But he didn't. Because I bit him. But Mama told me off later and said he might have given me a bad disease so I'm not allowed to bite people any more."

"Why?"

"I don't know. Mama didn't like talking to me about things."

"I've never met my ma...my mother..."

"I bet she's nice."

"Nicer than Boris..."

"My mama wasn't always nice to me." Bryan sniffled. "Once she said she hated me..." Tala looked up, concerned, then hugged Bryan and kissed his cheek just as Bryan had done for him.

"I bet she didn't. People say things they don't really mean..."

"She hit me...because I cried so much and it made her angry..." Tala nodded, then gasped.

"We'll be late for breakfast if we don't hurry up!"

After one last comforting hug they got dressed and made their way to the breakfast room. When they got there, there was none of the usual chatter and laughter. Just a wall of complete silence. So everyone knew about Adrik... A couple of the boys were crying, but Tala already knew he wouldn't be able to cry about it any more. He just felt numb, as if the life he was living wasn't real.

But even as Boris started going on about another new recruit- Kai somebody or other- Tala looked around at all the sad, angry, hurt and shocked faces. And he knew that that was how everything was going to be forever. Or as long as it took to get out of the abbey...

* * *

"Happy Birthday, Tala. Fourteen today...quite the young man..."

"No, Boris."

"No?"

"No. Because I know what you are and I'm not scared of you. I won't let you treat me like you treat Adrik." The name still brought a pang of sadness into Tala's heart. The first person who had ever really cared about him...that had been Adrik. "You'll either have to kill me or give up because I won't let you have me!" Boris chuckled.

"Maybe I'll have to give it another year. Maybe another couple. But you'll be in this abbey until the day you die, Tala, so sooner or later..." He headed for the door. "Sooner or later..." As the door closed, Tala glared at it.

"Sooner or later, I'll get out."

* * *

Anya Ivanov sighed as she came in from the biting winter winds, closing her front door behind her and trudging into her two-roomed apartment. It was dark inside, so she flicked on the light, collapsing into her chair. "M...Mother?" She turned, finally seeing the young man who'd been hiding behind the door. That red hair...those blue eyes...it couldn't be-?

"-Tala-?" Though exhausted, Anya stood up, hands flying to cover her mouth.

Tala surveyed his mother thoughtfully. The years had not been kind to her. Her hair was streaked with grey and there were deep lines around her eyes, but this was the place...and this was the woman who fit the only description he'd found. "I'm Tala...and you...you're my mother..."

With a cry of joy Anya ran to her son, flinging her arms around him and kissing both of his cheeks. "Oh Tala...my baby..."

"I'm not quite a baby any more, Mother."

"And when your grandfather said you'd run away...oh Tala...I didn't dare to think..."

"Mother...I've been in an abusive, dark place since I ran away from Grandfather...but now I'm free. And I...wanted to come and see you. Just to know you were still alive." He sighed, looking down at his mother with awe. "Mother..." He wanted to use the word as much as possible, just to get used to using it. "Can I go and get Bryan from the car?"

"Of course, Tala!" The redhead bit his lip. Now or never...

"Mother...he's my boyfriend."

"Oh! And you left him outside! Bring him in Tala, bring him in!" Not wanting to go back outside, Tala flipped open his mobile, calling Bryan's number.

"Hey Bryan...Bryan...it -is- her! You have to come inside!"

And then Bryan appeared, feeling hopelessly self-conscious. "Um...hello." He said, swallowing nervously. Anya gasped with shock and hugged him as well, overcome. She started to cry, fat tears of happiness running down her cheeks as she embraced her son again. "Oh Tala...Tala...how many years has it been since you were a newborn and I held you in my arms?"

"Sixteen..." Tala managed to whisper. "By all accounts..." Anya laughed tearily, pulling away to look at her son more closely.

"You look so like your father..."

Tala smiled, tears starting to creep into his own eyes. He was home again. With his mother, who'd been taken from him all those years ago...and through so much manipulation, was back with him again.

Fin

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There, the end. And hopefully I'll post something half decent soon...something better than this, anyway...

R&R please!


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